


Space Lizards and Model Ships

by NoisyNoiverns



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-22
Updated: 2015-12-22
Packaged: 2018-05-08 08:05:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5489750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoisyNoiverns/pseuds/NoisyNoiverns
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anderson said Shepard's mother sent a package for her for Christmas. She brings Thane along to collect, because why not?</p>
<p>Secret Santa gift for dalishcutie on Tumblr!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Space Lizards and Model Ships

Shepard took the stairs up to the Presidium two at a time, practically bouncing in her boots. Anderson had called to tell her he had a package from her mother waiting, and that Mom had specifically said to deliver it in person rather than through the mail. So naturally, she’d taken the opportunity to give everyone some shore leave, told Jack and Grunt to try not to destroy the Wards, grabbed Thane, and wheedled Miranda into letting them take the shuttle in instead of wait for the _Normandy_ to dock.

She paused at the top of the stairs and turned to wait for Thane, who was taking his sweet time walking up. “Come on, Thane, if we time it right we might get to see the Christmas lights. Anderson said they’re beautiful.”

“I’m still not entirely certain what this celebration is about,” Thane said, shaking his head slightly.

Shepard shrugged. “Eh, to be honest, I’m not really sure, either. Never paid much attention to that part.”

“You celebrate a holiday you don’t understand?”

“I understand the Santa Claus part. And the cookies.”

Thane only blinked as he reached her, and she tilted her head. “What?”

“I didn’t understand a word you just said.”

“How- oh, right. Drell.” She ran a hand through her hair and headed off along the walkway towards the Tower. “Well, see, Santa Claus is this guy with a long white beard and a red suit who flies around in a magical sleigh pulled by reindeer delivering presents to kids who were good all year on Christmas Eve.”

“I’m afraid that raises more questions than it answers. How does one person visit every child in a single night? Is the sleigh powered by mass effect technology? What are reindeer?”

“It makes sense if you don’t think about it, okay?”

Thane only looked more confused, and Shepard sucked in a breath, both in response to the conversation and the small crowd of people outside the Tower. “Uh… Hey, is that Emily Wong? Emily!”

Relieved for a distraction, Shepard jogged forward as the reporter in question turned around, eyes widening as she recognized Shepard. “Commander Shepard? Is it really you?”

“The one and only,” Shepard said with an easy grin, reaching out to shake her hand. “What’s going on here?”

“Press conference. Ambassador T’Danara got caught rigging proceedings within the asari embassy, and Chief Ambassador Irissa has been holding regular press conferences to keep everyone updated on what’s going on.”

“Rigging proceedings?” Thane asked, causing Shepard to jump slightly as he practically materialized next to her. “That could have serious repercussions in her career.”

“No kidding.” Emily glanced around, then leaned in. “You didn’t hear this from me, but Sur’Kesh’s ambassador told me that Councilor Valern told _her_ that Councilor Tevos told _him_ that T’Danara will probably be out of politics entirely before the month’s out.”

“Is it legal for the ambassador to have told you that?” Thane asked, frowning slightly.

Emily shrugged. “What can I say? Salarians love to gossip. Anyway, I’d love to talk some more, but the conference will be starting soon. You owe me an interview when I’m done, though, Commander.”

Shepard grinned. “I need to go talk to Councilor Anderson, so maybe we can talk when I’m done. Is there a back way in?”

“Not back, but side. Go around this side here, there’s a way in the salarians use. Watch your feet, it’s by a pool.”

“Great. Thanks, Emily.”

“No problem! Don’t forget my interview!”

Shepard waved as she headed in the direction Emily had said, Thane trailing after. Sure enough, there was a simple, inconspicuous door about halfway along the side of the Tower, thankfully unlocked. The pool Emily had mentioned was closer to the door than expected- as in, the first step she took inside landed her shin-deep in water. “Awww, come _on_ ,” she groaned, “these boots take _hours_ to dry out…”

Thane picked his way around the edge, practically balancing on the tips of his boots. “Your feet will be fine, _siha_ ,” he said. “Do you want a hand?”

“Nah, I’m good.” She glanced around, then stretched her other leg over to try and get to the edge without getting the other foot wet. “Come on, we need to find Anderson.”

Thankfully, the Tower was mostly deserted, just about everyone out for lunch or holed up in their offices. There was a close call where they had to duck behind a column before Councilor Sparatus saw them, but he was distracted by the small posse of ambassadors trailing along behind him and vying for his attention, so they managed to reach Anderson’s office without incident.

“Shepard, are you certain the councilor will be in?” Thane asked as they made their way up to the door.

“Positive. The turian councilor was around, wasn’t he?”

“Turians have faster metabolisms than humans. It’s likely they keep different mealtimes.”

“Shhh. You’re ruining my point.” She stuck her tongue out at him, then knocked sharply on Anderson’s door.

It opened before she was even done, and she almost rapped Anderson himself right on the face. “Shepard!” he said, taking a step back. “Wasn’t expecting you. Send a message ahead next time, would you?”

“Sorry, Anderson,” she said sheepishly, sticking her hands in her pockets. “You said you had a package for me?”

“Right over here.” He gestured for them to come in, stepping aside and pointing over to a box on his desk. “Take your time, I just got word the meeting this afternoon’s been canceled. Tevos has an optometrist appointment, one of Sparatus’s grandchildren got sick and has to be babysat until her parents get off work, and there’s no point in a meeting with only two of us. Now I just have to keep Udina away from the salarian embassy for the rest of the day, and we’re golden.”

Shepard wandered over to the box and picked it up. “Why can’t Udina be by the salarians?”

“Are you kidding? Have you heard the way Valern talks to him? That tone is salarian for ‘your death will be slow, painful, and of more satisfaction to me than your puny mind could possibly comprehend.’ I feel my heart skip a beat every time I’m in the same room as the two of them.”

“D’you think he’d give me a raise if I held Udina while he stabbed?” Shepard grinned to herself, running a finger along the paper on the package to try and find a seam.

“No, and I don’t think you should ask. He’d probably take you up on it, and then the Alliance would be in more trouble than settling a grudge would be worth.”

“Shame.” She finally found an opening and started picking, managing to open up a hole in the packaging big enough to get her hand in and rip it open. “Aw, sweet!” she crowed, crumpling up the paper in one hand and proudly displaying the model _Destiny Ascension_ kit that had been inside to Anderson and Thane. “These are, like, _really_ hard to come by in stores, I can’t believe she remembered!”

“Since when do you collect model ships?” Anderson asked, folding his arms.

“Eh, since I was in the hospital after Elysium. I was bored, and there were some model ships in the gift store. I just didn’t have room to bring my collection on board the old _Normandy_.”

“Is that what you’re doing when you hide yourself away in your cabin?” Thane asked with a curious blink.

“That and sleeping,” Shepard cheerfully informed him, waltzing over to the window to hold up the box against the view. “She really is a beautiful ship.” She turned her head slightly to glance at Thane out of the corner of her eye, adding with a lopsided grin, “Mind giving me a hand putting her together? She’s the same scale as my other models, so if I try it alone I’ll probably be done by the time the Reapers get here.”

Thane blinked, then smiled slightly and drifted over to her. “I’ll certainly try, but I make no guarantees.”

“It’s the thought that counts.” She smiled and nudged him gently with her shoulder, then leaned against him somewhat, waving a hand as Anderson made an excuse to leave them alone and ducked out. “Besides, if all else fails, there’s probably a pre-assembled one we can buy off the extranet.”

“Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of trying to put it together yourself?”

“Yeah, but it’s less messy.”

“True enough, I suppose.” Thane gently reached over and took her hand, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles. “My apologies. I would have tried to find a gift for you, if I’d known.”

“Eh, it’s all good. You can make up for it by spending time with me, yeah? That’s the other important part of Christmas.”

“I see.” Thane smiled. “Then I think I like this holiday.”

She grinned and squeezed his hand. “Yeah, it’s one of my favorites, too.”


End file.
